Page 36 of Charmed By the Alien Warrior

I roll my eyes at him, then turn to study the creature. It’s spiked tail twitches, and I take a cautious step back. “Is it dead?”

Sorrin nods, wiping his sword on the leaves from a tree before sheathing it. “Yes, it will have involuntary spasms for a while, but the beast won’t trouble us anymore.” His eyes meet mine, concern flickering in their depths. “Are you alright?”

I nod, though my heart is still racing. “Yeah. I just… didn’t expect that.”

“Neither did I,” Sorrin admits, his lips tilting up, before he glances back curiously at the dead creature. “The Pugj brought stonelurkers with them when they arrived, and like our enemy they live at high elevations. I’ve never seen one out of the mountains.” His gaze rises and he stares out at our surroundings as if he’s studying them closely. “Curious things are happening.” He looks back at me, his gaze roving over me from head to toe and leaving behind a trial of warmth. “Very curious things.”

A shiver goes through me as our eyes lock, then I remember his words. If there’s one here, then there might be more.

“Do you think there are anymore out there?” I gaze fearfully around, eyeing each and every stone, small and large, with suspicion.

Wait, did that one just twitch? Or was it my imagination?

Sorrin shakes his head, a carefree smile once again on his face. “No. Stonelurker’s are solitary creatures and territorial. Even among their own kind. They avoid each other. There won’t be another anywhere near this one.”

Relieved, I follow him as we press on, but the encounter with the stonelurker lingers in my thoughts. Laedirissae is full of surprises, both beautiful and terrifying.

Despite my longing for the safety and familiarity of Earth, I can’t help but feel drawn to the wild, alien magnificence of this place. And the man beside me.

Chapter 13

Mara

Just before sunset, Sorrin looks around and decides we should make camp for the evening. As we’ve walked through the day, the landscape has changed drastically since this morning. The dense jungle I’ve grown accustomed to has thinned out, giving way to a harsher, rockier terrain.

The soil is dark gray and it reminds me of photos I’ve seen of volcanic beaches. Scraggly bushes and vines with needle-like leaves dot the land. With fewer trees and sparser undergrowth, the lack of cover from the dinosaurs that call Laedirissae home makes me nervous.

I can’t help the shudder of apprehension that runs through me as I look up and study the clear sky. But other than the stonelurker from earlier today, we haven’t seen any other predators. Something I’ve been very thankful for.

Sorrin leads us to a small, sheltered area between two massive boulders where we set up our camp. Nearby, a clearstream slowly winds its way over smooth rocks, the gentle burbling sound soothing. The space feels almost cozy.

He announced earlier that it should be safe enough to light a small fire to cook with, and that small luxury fills me with unexpected relief. I never thought I’d be so happy to eat mystery meat cooked over an open fire, but I am.

Sorrin quickly gathers up moss growing on the boulders and piles it up in a small hole he dug. Using the flint all the warriors seem to carry with them, he lights it and within seconds a crackling fire casts a warm glow over our campsite.

Then, he sets off to find us something to eat, telling me he heard a koyo not too far away.

The sound of the stream is too tempting to resist. The thought of being clean is enough to drag me to my feet, despite my exhaustion. I pick my way over to the water’s edge and crouch beside it. The cool water glides past, so clear I can see every detail of the pebbles below.

Glancing around to make sure I’m alone, I strip off my jeans and the supple, blue leather top the tribe gave me, leaving me in just my pink bra and the loincloth panties I started wearing after my old ones disintegrated into a mass of holes. They’re not glamorous, but they do the job.

The water is shockingly cold, and I bite back a gasp as I scoop up handfuls of it and splash it over me. A shiver courses through me, but I don’t stop, scrubbing away the layers of dirt and dried sweat that have clung to me like a second skin. It’s only been a couple of days, but it feels like weeks since I’ve been clean. The grime runs down my arms in dark rivulets.

Once I’m clean, I sit there, letting the sound of the stream and the flicker of the fire lull me into a sense of calm. I catcha glimpse of myself in the water, and I see a woman who looks almost unrecognizable. My hair is tangled, my face lined with fatigue, but there’s a strength in my eyes that surprises me.

The sound of footsteps crunching over rocks pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see Sorrin emerging from the shadows, a koyo slung over one shoulder. He pauses when he spots me, his sharp gaze taking in my bared skin.

I flush, suddenly aware of how exposed I am, and quickly reach for my top. “I was just cleaning up,” I mumble, pulling it over my head.

His eyes linger for a moment longer before he nods and heads to the fire. “The koyo won’t take long to cook. We’ll eat well tonight.” A gentle smile tips up the corners of his lips.

I’m quiet as I watch him work. It doesn’t take long before he has the koyo cleaned, sliced into strips, and sizzling on a rock next to the fire. The smell of the cooking meat fills the air blending with the earthy scent of the moss and the exotic spiciness that seems to be the fragrance of Laedirissae. As I sit there, watching the fire crackle, I realize that for the first time in a really long time, I feel completely safe. I don’t feel like I have to constantly be on guard, ready for the next traumatizing event.

And I know it’s because of the guy sitting just a few feet away from me. It’s like he has a protective aura that surrounds him, encompassing anyone near. And that happens to be me, right now.

“Thank you.” I can feel his eyes on me, but I don’t meet his gaze. “For coming after me. For the knife. For… for everything.” I heave out a sigh. “I haven’t exactly been nice to you, and I’m sorry for that.”

Sorrin is silent for so long that I start to wonder if he heard me, but when he finally speaks his voice is quiet. “You and the other humans have been through so much that I cannot even comprehend. You’ve been ripped away from your home and now you’re here.”

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